Wounded Souls Never Heal
by Faded Nights
Summary: [Discontinued]
1. Chapter 1

Authors Notes: Okay, I need something to vent out my anger on, so that's how this fic was born. It'll probably just be a bunch of jumbled thoughts at the beginning, but it'll become clear as the story progresses. And oh yeah, I don't really like the Inners, so it might end up being a Senshi break-up, Usagi goes to join the Outers type fic. Actually. It most likely will.  
  
Hope you enjoy.  
  
The story is rated PG-13 for language.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, I do however own the foul mood I'm in today.  
  
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Wounded Souls Never Heal ~ Chapter I  
  
It was one of the fiercest thunderstorms the city of Tokyo had experienced in ages. So fierce that the Pacific Ocean itself seemed to be overflowing and pouring its depths into the streets. All had taken shelter within buildings; the rains were far too horrible to be out for any reason. This however didn't seem to bother the four young women who were tormenting another so much that she was down on her knees in the muddy ground of one of Juuban's parks, sobbing whilst taking their insults and any techniques they decided to throw at her.  
  
"You're so clumsy! How is someone like you supposed to lead us!?" shouted a raven-haired girl from the extreme left. She wore a cardinal coloured, very short skirt, a colourless bodysuit with a sailor collar in the same cardinal colour, as well as two large bows, both of a deep violet. One of these adorned her chest, whilst the other rested on her lower back. In addition to her outfit, a small golden tiara with a ruby in the centre graced her forehead, and two star shaped red earrings hung from her lower earlobes.  
  
A flame shot from the woman's open hand, hitting the sobbing blonde head on and burning off one of the rings that decorated the top of the long white glove she wore on her left hand. The blonde did no more than flinch as she continued to stare at the dirt. Her body was too battered, bruised and sore for her to react any differently.  
  
Her normally impeccable, sparkling blonde hair lay limply in the mud, her odangoes having come undone long ago, when she was still running from the threats who now surrounded her. The sparkle in her sapphire blue eyes had long ago faded, to be replaced by fear and sorrow. Her senshi uniform was simply a mess. Torn, burnt and frayed, it hardly retained her modesty, let alone doing its job to shield her tender body from the assaults she was receiving. Her crescent moon adorned tiara was cracked down the middle and shards of the gold had been lost in the mud around her. Her right earring was non-existent, and her brooch was no more than the remains of the beautiful piece of jewelry it once was, the only part left being the small centre and the Silver Crystal.  
  
"Please. stop." she managed to rasp out between chapped lips, from a dry throat despite the rain.  
  
"It's all you deserve. You're a piece of trash, you don't deserve to be on our team, let alone lead us. Bitch." Snarled the brunette standing next to the raven-haired. She wore much the same outfit, save for definite colour differences. Her skirt was a forest green as was her sailor collar, and she had pale pink bows. A short lighting rod came from the emerald on her tiara, and she wore intricately designed earrings, which depicted a rose in full bloom.  
  
The sobbing girl cringed as lightning coursed through her body, originating at the tip of the lightning rod. "Why are. you doing this.?" she whispered for what must have been the tenth time that horrid night. "Please.. Tell me. I d.don't under.stand." She was beginning to find it difficult to string sounds together, exhaustion and the wounds on her body were getting the better of her.  
  
Ice pellets and freezing water connected with her chest and she gasped, bringing her arms up to warm the frozen areas. Ghastly blue orbs flew to a woman with hard blue eyes and short blue hair, wearing a uniform with a deep blue skirt and pale blue bows. She wore knee high blue boots and had a sapphire within her tiara. Her earrings were small blue studs, with more attached, so that it looked like various earrings trailing up her earlobes.  
  
She was beyond begging for mercy, beyond trying to run. It was all she could do to keep from screaming when her final 'protector' lashed out a golden chain of hearts, causing yet another long rip in the back of her uniform. The leader of the four stepped forward.  
  
"You have no right to call yourself a princess, nor a senshi. We suggest you give up your henshin brooch and the Silver Imperium Crystal, or risk facing an embarrassment such as this again." The golden haired warrior said clearly. The heart chain was back around her waist, resting just above an orange skirt, and below a light yellow bow. Her cornflower orbs held a commanding gaze and she looked oddly majestic, even with the rain pouring down and sticking her blonde tresses to her body. She held out her hand expectantly.  
  
"Never. Never." the woman on the ground whispered, clenching the locket within her fist. More lightning hit her and she felt her body paralyze before a flame licked around her and then she simply fell forward into the mud, completely unconscious.  
  
*  
  
"How dare they. This isn't my definition of loyalty. We'll be lucky if she can ever speak again, let alone move." Growled a woman's voice as she pounded a painted white wall that was a part of hospital room she stood in. She ran her fingers though her short tawny hair and scowled, before turning to look at the battered woman who lay between the white sheets of the hospital bed before her and her partner.  
  
Rain still poured in torrents on the opposite side of the window, but the rain was the farthest thing from their minds as they watched the broken body of their princess for any form of life. Anything what so ever that would show a difference between today and the week she had already been here. There was still nothing. No movement, no sound. The tawny haired woman's fist rattled the wall again. It was her only way to express her emotion, she wouldn't break down and cry, unlike her teal haired girlfriend had done so many times this week.  
  
Speaking of teal haired girlfriends, the one who had just been mentioned rested a slender hand of her girlfriend's upper arm. "Relax, she'll be alright." it was meant to be reassuring, though it was far from it mainly as a result of the woman's shaking and unsure voice. It was a phrase meant to soothe and only to soothe as neither of the two believed it to be true.  
  
"I never saw them being mutinous. They were so. loyal. Sure they pushed her, but it was always in good fun. Or so I thought. We were wrong, we should have pulled her away from them before this happened. Before she was hurt beyond our powers of healing. I hate relying on doctors, but even her extreme healing powers can't help her. Especially with the Crystal missing. Those bitches are going to pay dearly." the threat was left open, but the way it slid off of the taller woman's tongue made the teal haired one worry.  
  
For yes, the Silver Imperium Crystal appeared to have been stolen by unknown characters, though it was obvious to the two who they should point their fingers at. However the only way they would know would be if the wounded woman awoke, and even then they couldn't have definite proof. There was high suspicion that she would have passed out long before her life force was taken, so it probably wouldn't matter whether she awoke or not. She wouldn't be able to tell them much anyway, except for perhaps what triggered this change in behavior; something they were curious to find out.  
  
The bed sheets suddenly rustled slightly as the woman lying beneath them shuddered and attempted to roll over, a soft sound escaping her lips. Hope entered the eyes of the two surrounding the bed, and the shorter woman bent down slightly, taking one delicate, bruised hand into her own.  
  
"She's trying to open her eyes," said the taller in a whispered voice, tilting her head slightly towards the small movements of the woman's angelic face. Finally the shutters over her eyes opened to reveal grayish- blue dead looking eyes, which slowly surveyed their surroundings.  
  
Her creased and cut lips moved, though no sound came out. Looking frustrated, she tried again with no success. Finally her eyes flitted around again, obviously searching for something. They fell on a bottle of water that sat on the table next to the bed, and she attempted to reach for it, not realizing that her hand was in fact attached to an IV line. She winced as the needle pulled at her skin, and let her hand fall limply to the bed, though her throat screamed for the refreshment of the liquid on the table.  
  
The teal haired woman had spotted the dilemma immediately, and now lifted the bottle from the table, pouring a bit of water into a small paper cup while her girlfriend adjusted the bed so that it could be drunk without causing choking.  
  
The long, haired blonde drank the water slowly, letting it soothe her dry throat, before she managed to croak out, "How did I get here?"  
  
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There's a reason I left it here. For the sake of sleep and Japanese class in the morning. Besides, it makes for a good cliffhanger.  
  
Hope you like  
  
~Faded 


	2. Chapter 2

I don't know if anyone actually noticed, but I somehow refrained from using any actual names in the last chapter. Though I did it on purpose, it annoyed the hell out of me - there are only so many different types of pronouns and adjectives you can use for each character. So I think I'll toss the names in this chapter.  
  
Yes, I do realize that this plot has been used hundreds upon thousands of times. I felt it was my turn to throw in a piece like this, and besides, these are the type of fics that I enjoy reading at the moment. So, if you're writing one, please tell me! ^__^  
  
And oh yeah, I was wondering if anyone would support me if I were to write an Alternate Universe fic based on the vampire plot that seems to be circulating at the moment, or maybe a Reincarnation fic which would take place in the 1400's. The later I am actually thinking of starting, so I won't give away too much of the plot, as I want to start it sometime soon. ^_^  
  
Rating remains PG-13.  
  
Disclaimer is in chapter one. This is the last time I'll even bother mentioning it.  
  
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Wounded Souls Never Heal - Chapter 2  
  
A sigh escaped the lips of the petite aqua haired woman as she began telling the story of how Haruka and herself had come to find Usagi. The small blonde listened with rapt attention as it was explained that she had been found by a young woman walking through the park on their way home from the supermarket, between the storms. How she had panicked when she had spotted Usagi's broken form lying in the thick mud, and had quickly called emergency.  
  
One thing quickly led to another, and somewhere along the way all of the Senshi as well as Usagi's parents had been contacted. Only Ikuko, Kenji, Shingo and of course the Outer Senshi had shown, resulting in Haruka and Michiru's conclusion that Usagi's present state had been caused by the Inners. It had only made sense when Michiru had further examined her and found scorch marks on her skin, which still remained no matter how quickly Usagi would have healed under normal conditions.  
  
Michiru looked at Usagi sadly, "What happened to make them act like this?" she asked softly, knowing that she was prodding at a very tender subject. It was better her than Haruka though, and of course Setsuna knew all but wouldn't tell and Usagi wouldn't speak to Hotaru about it, as the young Senshi was delicate enough to begin with. So that had left with Michiru doing the poking and prodding to find out all the bits and pieces of information that Usagi knew. She hated to do it though. She didn't want to hear the story of how her princess had come to be this way. However it seemed to be necessary, as it would be needed in order to protect her from future rebellions.  
  
"We-we- we-we. . ." Usagi stuttered hoarsely. Tears began to flow down her cheeks again when she discovered the inability to speak further. However, she wasn't about to give up, and once again she opened her mouth, "W-w-w-w-. . ." More stuttering. The princess continued to look extremely frustrated with herself, but Michiru shook her head and put a slender index finger over her lips to quiet her.  
  
"Don't force it. Speech will come," she said softly, though she glanced worriedly at her sandy haired girlfriend before looking back at Usagi, who looked as if she were going to fall asleep again. "Not yet, Usagi-chan. Drink some of this first, you have to regain your strength so that you can return home." The violinist said, reaching for a mug of broth that sat on a tray by the end of the bed.  
  
Usagi wrinkled up her nose as the scent of the hospital food came closer, but found herself unable to shy away from the mug as Michiru put it to her lips. "Drink." The woman persisted.  
  
Rather reluctantly, Usagi cracked open her lips and allowed some of the steaming fluid to pour into her mouth. It wasn't as hot as it had first appeared to be, but it was warm and wet enough to calm her flaring throat tissue. She pulled away after a few sips, and settled back into the bed, whilst Michiru looked into the mug, a downcast expression on her face at the sight of how much the girl had actually drank, though if that was all she could take in at the moment, then there was no point in trying to force more into her body. She would only fight and make her condition worse than it already was.  
  
"I wish we could help her more. . ." Michiru murmured sadly, looking over the bed at Haruka's impassive face. The woman simply shrugged, not seeming to want to speak for unknown reasons. Michiru echoed the sigh, trust Haruka to be silent, even patient when she, herself was agitated and fearful.  
  
Her eyes had to have been betraying more than she thought, or perhaps it was simply her actions, but finally Haruka spoke. "We can only give as much as she'll accept, Michiru. Perhaps, when she is feeling a bit better, she'll accept more. We're doing all we can do now and I'm sure that Koneko realizes it."  
  
Michiru looked up at her sadly. "You're right. . . It's just. . . I hate that this was done to her by them, at least, had it been someone else, they would have been able to help her more. Haruka, we just can't relate as well. . ."  
  
Haruka had moved behind Michiru, and now wrapped her arms around Michiru's shoulders and collarbone area, "She does have her family, and her other school friends. Besides that, I'm sure she'd find something to ramble on about to us, she always does." However, a spasm of shock crossed her face when she felt something wet drip onto her arm, one drop, then another, and yet another before Michiru finally turned to sob into her chest. Haruka's arms tightened around her comfortingly. "I promise you, I'll make sure she gets better. . ." she murmured gently into the smaller woman's hair.  
  
"Thank you. . ." Were the only words that came from Michiru's mouth.  
  
Haruka simply nodded before beginning to direct her girlfriend to the door of the room. "It's time for us to go, her parents and brother should be visiting soon, and I want to give them time alone with her. . ."  
  
They were almost at the door, when Usagi's broken stuttering stopped them, clearly she was still awake, though it had been believed that she had long since fallen asleep again. "Wh-wh-wh-whe. . ." Once again, she was forced to break off and simply watched as Michiru ran back to the bedside. Haruka however, stuck her head out the door of the room to call a nurse, and watch for her princess' family.  
  
"We have to leave now, I promise we'll be back later. . ." Michiru started, but was cut off by Usagi rapidly shaking her head under a hand that had been smoothing the girl's hair.  
  
"N-n-n-no," Usagi managed to get out. "Y-y-y-y-you c-c-ca. . ." Her sputtering continued, but it was past anything Michiru was able to make out. She did however manage to get as much from it, as to tell that Usagi wouldn't allow them to leave. "I-I'm s-s-sca. . ."  
  
Michiru looked at her, eyes sparkling with sorrow. Of course she'd be scared, the child was probably terrified that they might come and attack her again. "Haruka, we can't leave yet. . . We'll wait until her family gets here, so that she feels safe enough for us to leave."  
  
Haruka sighed and put a hand behind her head as she moved out of the way to let the nurse into the room. "Alright. . . Alright. . ." she replied heavily, looking at Usagi, who was looking immensely grateful despite her bruises and injuries.  
  
Haruka sat down in one of the plastic chairs that had been brought into the room for visitors, as the nurse asked Usagi a few questions, which, try as she did, the girl couldn't answer.  
  
The nurse, a rather tall, thin woman with dark hair, sighed and shook her head, and Haruka did a double take as she read the nametag on the woman's blouse 'Dr. Mizuno'. "Get out and send in the nurse I asked for," Haruka growled murderously, having stopped herself short of lunging at the woman. It wasn't her fault that her daughter was guilty of an attempted murder the woman didn't know about, and somewhere Haruka knew that, but at the moment she didn't care.  
  
Michiru had looked up quickly at the sound of Haruka's voice, so much fiercer than it had been a moment ago. The doctor however didn't look remotely fazed. Quite obviously she had been threatened before. "Miss Tsukino is in need of intensive care. I took it onto myself to be sure I have her name on my list, as she is one of my daughter's best friends."  
  
A sob escaped Usagi's lips, and there was a horrified look in her eyes as well as fear. Michiru put a calming hand on her shoulder, "There are reasons behind her actions, please, just leave us and send in a different doctor." She said calmly, though there was a steely edge to her voice that wasn't heard often, bordering on almost never.  
  
The doctor stared at her for a moment, before finally backing toward the door when Michiru won the staring contest, "As you wish, I shall send for another." She said, bowing slightly as she left the room.  
  
Haruka scowled after her, "Of course, she would have to work at this hospital, in this particular ward. I wonder how many times she's been in here this week when we were gone. I think we just found the perfect reason to stay here, Michiru."  
  
Michiru murmured something in response, but it wasn't near loud enough for it to reach Haruka's ears. She didn't press though, if Michiru wanted her to know what had been said, she would tell her.  
  
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Well, there's chapter 2, finally up. It would have been up much sooner, but well, I was in bed with a cold all last weekend, as well as on Monday and Tuesday, resulting in no time to write. . .  
  
I also want to put out a heartfelt thank you to Venus Smurf, who took the time to read through the 3 of my fics, and reviewed to every single chapter. For those of you who have never read any of her work, I highly recommend 'Roommate' which is amazingly written, though not yet complete for it's 50 chapters. ^___^  
  
I hope you all enjoyed, until the next update. 


	3. Chapter 3

Konnichiwa minna! o_o Ignore me, heh, I'm slightly hyper and out of character today. . . Anyway, I decided that I wanted to get another chapter up for WSNH and forced myself to sit down and write it. Besides. . . I'm bored. ^__^  
  
I've decided that since it's the holiday season, and almost Christmas, that I would insert the season into the fic, just because I find myself unable to think up a new plot to write a Christmas/Holiday one-shot, something that I had actually wanted to do. Anyway, without further ado, I give you chapter three of Wounded Souls Never Heal.  
  
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Wounded Souls Never Heal - Chapter 3  
  
". . .kurai yomichi wa pikapika no omae no hana ga yaku ni tatsunosa. Itsumo naiteta. . ."[1] Usagi forced out a smile as her Outer senshi tried to cheer her up with their singing. It was the day before Christmas, and she was unfortunately still lying in the same hospital bed, though her injuries had healed greatly.  
  
". . .yorokobimashita!"[2] The princess forced a laugh as the three older of the Outers allowed Hotaru to sing the last word as a solo. She seemed to have enjoyed it, and then turned to her guardians. "Michiru-mama, Haruka-papa, is Usagi-san coming home for Christmas?" The pure innocence of her question was a cause for tears to enter not only Usagi's eyes, but Michiru's as well.  
  
"I suppose it would depend on Usagi-chan. . . And the nurses of course," Michiru replied with a calm voice, despite the liquid that had once again built up in her eyes as she looked at Usagi, obviously expecting the girl to answer the question herself.  
  
For Usagi's speech had become much better as she had healed over the past two, very uneventful weeks. The girl had become calmed after her fright at the beginning, finding herself in the hospital, and the Outer Senshi had found that they could leave her alone for longer amounts of time without having her fret about the Inners showing up and trying once again to beat her to death.  
  
"I-I don't know Hotaru-chan, I-I might not be able to. . ." she trailed off and looked at the small, dark haired girl. She hated to break the youngest senshi's hope, but she couldn't lie and get her hopes up.  
  
Hotaru sighed and nodded, looking extremely upset and downcast as she stared at her feet. "I shouldn't have asked. . . I'll be back in a moment, please excuse me." Without looking back up at anyone's face, Hotaru shuffled out of the room and into the hallway beyond.  
  
"Hotaru-chan!" Michiru called after her, though she didn't expect the young girl to answer.  
  
"I'm sorry. . ." Usagi whispered, staring at her hands, though not seeming to see that her knuckles had turned white from gripping the blanket that covered her. Tears began to coarse down her cheeks again. "I'm so sorry. . ." she repeated. She had been like this since she regained her ability to speak. Always asking for forgiveness, always depressed, feeling like everything was her fault, when she should have known that it ultimately stemmed from the ones who had done this to her. At times it seemed to actually infuriate Haruka, though the wind senshi stopped herself from saying anything. The last thing she needed to do was have the princess think she had no one.  
  
"Hime-sama, it's not your fault. . . Nothing is your fault. Hotaru didn't mean it, she's just upset. She hates hospitals, doctors. . ." Setsuna whispered from where she sat in a chair, right near the head of Usagi's bed.  
  
Usagi turned and stared at her with her haunting blue-gray eyes. It almost seemed to make the Time Senshi shift in her seat, though she didn't move. Those weren't the eyes of her Princess. However, over the two weeks since Usagi had awoken, Setsuna had gotten used to the eyes, and Haruka's never ending teasing about how she should have seen it coming, something that had begun when she had shown visible shock at Usagi's deadened orbs. She had sent her Princess into a sobbing spree when she had mentioned it, not realizing that it was probably the wrong thing to do.  
  
Multiple times, Dr Mizuno had been back to check on Usagi, despite the objections of Haruka and Michiru, though for some reason the woman never came in when Setsuna was there. Luckily, there had been no encounters with the Inner Senshi. They seemed to have disappeared off of the face of the Earth, which angered Haruka for unknown reasons, but had pleased Usagi.  
  
"I-I want to go home for Christmas. . ." Usagi whispered. "Please?" Her eyebrows rose hopefully, but Setsuna sighed.  
  
"It's up to the doctors, not me hime-sama. . . You know that. . ." Setsuna said with a sigh, placing a hand on her princess' forehead. "However, I honestly don't see why not. You'll have to get your parents to sign you out though."  
  
"Makka na ohana no -"[3] Haruka slammed the door shut as carolers began patrolling the halls again. They didn't need to be interrupted by a bunch of people who couldn't sing for their lives.  
  
However, knocking came on the door a few minutes later. "Let us in!" shouted an aggressive voice from the other side. Usagi blanched, she recognized the voice.  
  
"They can't be here, how did they find me?" she whispered, attempting to tug her blankets over her head as her body started shaking involuntarily. "Make them go away. . ." she said hoarsely.  
  
Setsuna looked at her princess, and then to Haruka, who looked positively murderous. "Go away, you're aren't wanted here." She growled out, her teeth were bared furiously.  
  
"Let us in! We have. . . Unfinished business to attend to," came the voice again. Usagi let out a cry, she was clearly terrified.  
  
"Go away. . . Usagi-san doesn't want to see you. . . You did this to her." Said a soft voice, also from behind the door. They heard a squeak from the one who had been shouting out threats. "I said go away!"  
  
There was the sound of three pairs of scampering footsteps before the door opened and Hotaru stood there, looking somewhat proud of herself. "They're gone." She announced, though it wasn't needed.  
  
"Thank you, Hotaru-chan," Usagi said, holding out her arms so that she could hug the girl. Hotaru smiled and walked over, climbing onto the bed and settling herself into her princess' warm embrace.  
  
"It's my duty to protect, besides, they didn't look like they were just here to visit." Hotaru replied softly, still in Usagi's arms. She didn't seem to want to leave the motherly warmth the princess gave off, even in her present state.  
  
Usagi sniffled somewhat, "I'm sure they weren't. . . They didn't kill me, they'll try again." She tightened her arms around Hotaru, almost as if she thought that just holding the small girl would make her fears disappear, though many would think it to be quite the opposite.  
  
"We'll stay here over night. To make sure they don't try it again," Haruka said hastily, gaining a reproachful look from Setsuna, though the tall, green haired woman didn't say anything in response. Michiru however, nodded in agreement.  
  
"Thank you. . ." Usagi whispered, before laying back and falling asleep, leaving Hotaru staring at her slightly.  
  
"She must be exhausted. . . She's been up for quite a while and still doesn't have enough energy to remain awake this long, and then that scare she got. It's no wonder she fell asleep," Michiru murmured as she watched Usagi. Her eyes then fell on Hotaru, "And you must be tired as well. . ."  
  
Hotaru shook her head stubbornly, though she didn't seem to be able to hold back the yawn that escaped her lips, causing Michiru to laugh.  
  
"Take a rest Hotaru-chan, we're not going home tonight, but you can still sleep." Setsuna murmured, resting a hand on the young girl's head, just above where her planetary symbol would appear. Hotaru looked up at the time guardian and sighed, before nodding and curling up on her princess' lap, her eyelids soon shutting over her dark eyes.  
  
There was a sudden rustle by the window that caused the three women in the room to jump. "Who's there?" Haruka hissed through her teeth, looking around.  
  
"Don't panic. . ." Said a soft voice. Haruka stared.  
  
"I thought you'd abandoned her with the rest. The both of you." Michiru murmured. But the female voice that had spoken simply shook her head.  
  
"Never. . . We couldn't just leave her, but the Inners thought we were on their side. We haven't had a chance to sneak away until now but. . ." Her voice caught and Luna mewed a bit before continuing. "We couldn't just leave her. We weren't there that night, how were we to know that it hadn't been fatal?" The black cat bowed her head, as if asking forgiveness from something the Outers couldn't see. Most likely the spirit of the Moon Goddess, Selene, which could be sensed with in the room, as long as Usagi was sound asleep.  
  
"Well, it's good to know that there are more on our side then theirs." Haruka replied a few minutes later, when the initial shock of the cat having appeared there, had worn away.  
  
Michiru nodded, "And you're welcome to stay here. I daresay Usagi-chan will be glad to see the two of you." Her gaze fell from Luna to Artemis and back to Luna before she let slip a faint smile. "She's been calling for you. . . Mainly in her sleep. She seemed to know you were innocent."  
  
Luna smiled, trust the princess to know the innocent before viewing them. "I'm glad. . ." was the only thing the cat said in response.  
  
"You'll stay then?" Setsuna asked, surveying the cats through her ruby gaze.  
  
Luna nodded, "Of course. . . We have to watch over her as well. It's our duty." She replied. Artemis nuzzled her slightly before she hopped to the floor and padded across the small room, and then jumped onto the bed, laying herself just beside Usagi's head. "What did they do to you. . .?" She murmured softly, her crescent moon glowing in reaction to being so close to her charge after the three weeks they had been apart.  
  
There was no reply from Usagi, only the slight flaring of her own crescent moon as she exhaled.  
  
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[1] Those are actually a few lines straight out of the Japanese version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. In the English version, the lines would be - ". . .Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say, 'Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight.' Then how the reindeer loved him. . ." Though this is in no way a translation of that section. ^___^  
  
[2] The end of the song o_O I don't know any other Christmas carols in Japanese though, so I had to use Rudolph. -___- Heh, anyway, that part would be the 'you'll go down in history,' part of our version. . .  
  
[3] You guessed it, more Rudolph. That's the beginning, basically the 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer' line. ^__^  
  
~8~  
  
Well, I thank everyone for reading, and all of my reviewers. . . Until the next chapter then. ^__^ 


	4. Chapter 4

Yes, I do realize that Mamoru hasn't appeared yet.  He will eventually, I promise. . . –cough- -sweatdrop-  

Happy New Year!  As late as it may be. . .  I started this chapter a while ago, but didn't have any time to work on it.  Hope you enjoy ^_^

Katalia Meria – I agree with you entirely, with everything that you mentioned in your post.  Though I know a lot of people can't imagine the Inners turning against Usagi, it would be an entirely possible situation. . .  But mwahaha, I'm not giving away the future of this fic to anyone!  -insert the dub version of the insane Professor Tomoe laugh here-

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Wounded Souls Never Heal – Chapter 4

. . .The sound of 3 pairs of feet, each wearing high-heeled shoes, echoed through the halls against the pitter-patter of the rain drops which fell on the outer side of the marble hall they ran through.  A fourth figure, her slipper-bound feet making no sound against the smooth floor, was running desperately after them, her blonde hair flying out behind her like two long streamers.

"Please!  Don't leave me!" She cried out as she tripped over the hem of her long nightgown, leaving her sprawled out on the floor as the three women continued to run.  "Please. . ." The blonde whispered after them, tears streaming down her cheeks. . .

"Usagi-chan!  Usagi, wake up you're having a nightmare!"  Luna said, mewing as she moved back so she wouldn't be hit by the flailing Usagi.  There was no response from the delicate girl, only more flailing.  

"It's not the first time this has happened. . ."  Michiru replied, putting her hand on Usagi's forehead, but drawing it back quickly.  "It's a fever dream, she's been getting them a lot lately.  I've told the nurses but they brushed it off as nothing."  The aquamarine haired senshi was the only person who remained in the room, save for Usagi herself.  Setsuna had left to take Hotaru home, and Haruka had gone to get both herself and Michiru something to eat.

"They shouldn't be doing that, should they?"  Luna inquired, looking up at Michiru.

The addressed sighed, "I supposed they're common after accidents. . ." she replied, standing and walking to the adjoined washroom, coming back a few moments later with a small bowl of water which she set down on the table beside the hospital bed.  She placed her hands into the bowl and gently squeezed the majority of the water out of a cloth, before folding it neatly and placing it on Usagi's burning forehead.

"I wish she had been able to leave for Christmas. . .  Even being stuck in a wheelchair would have been better then sitting here."  Luna murmured, looking up at Michiru, who sighed.  

"It's the nurses decision, Luna.  If they feel she isn't strong enough to leave the hospital, then that's how it will be.  Whether we like it or not." The cat looked like she was going to object, but thought better of it as Haruka came back into the room.  

"Another nightmare?"  She asked, looking at Usagi.  Michiru nodded and the blonde woman sighed.  "What she needs is a visit from Selene's spirit.  It would make her feel much more sure of herself, something she definitely needs."  There was a chuckling at the end of her sentence, though it didn't come from Haruka, nor did it come from Michiru or Luna.

"What if Selene was present in body, rather than simply spirit?"  Asked a strangely ethereal voice from near the window of the room.  The voice was recognized instantly and two human women as well as a cat sunk into bows as they spun to face the woman who stood bathed in a soft moonlight, which entered through a slight gap in the blinds.  "You may rise."  She murmured after a moment.

"A pleasure to see you again, Majesty."  Luna breathed, looking up at the Queen, who wore a saddened expression on her face as she surveyed her only daughter.  

"And you as well, Luna my old friend."  Came the reply from the woman's lips as she approached the bed.  Michiru drew away respectively as Selenity laid a hand on her daughter's forehead, removing the damp cloth that had been covering it.  Usagi's crescent moon flared in response to her mother's closeness and Selenity's own bead-trimmed birthmark glowed softly.  "Tainted energy. . ."  She whispered softly, causing Haruka to look at her in shock.

"Tainted?  What do you mean, Majesty?"  The wind senshi asked quickly, looking at her Princess and then back up at the Queen.

"Those who attacked her. . .  Their energy was tainted. . .  It is quite possible it was not done of their own free will, something I must admit that I hope to be true."  Tears entered the Queen's eyes as she began to whisper her daughter's name.  "Serenity. . .  Wake up darling, we need to talk."

If the princess heard her name being called, she chose to ignore it and simply scrunch up her features instead, muttering something about Luna leaving her alone, and causing the queen to chuckle.  "Open your eyes Serenity, I am not Luna." She replied.  A moan came from the bed and Usagi's eyelids half fluttered open.

"I'm trying to sleep. . ."  She muttered, before they closed again and she rolled over as much as the bed would allow.  Haruka and Michiru had backed away by now, preferring to watch from a distance then actually attempt to wake the sleeping girl up.  If the Queen wanted their help, she'd ask, and they weren't planning on interfering until that help was asked of them.  In the meantime, it was rather humourous to watch the Queen attempting to reason with her half asleep daughter.

"Yes darling, I realize that, but I would like to talk to you."  Selenity replied in response to the last thing the girl had said.  

Another mutter came from the girl's mouth, but her head was so far into the covers that it would have been impossible to make out what she had said.

"Serenity, wake up."  The woman all but ordered.  There was more grumpy muttering from the girl in the bed, but she groggily opened her eyes.

"Yes, mother."  Was the response as the girl sat up in bed.  Obviously the Queen had seen though some sort of fake act the young woman had been putting up.  The façade however, had not been discovered by the Outer senshi until that moment.

The princess' eyes watched her mother intently, waiting for the woman to speak.  There had to be a reason why she had bothered to come, right?

"Serenity. . .  You know that there is a reason behind what has happened, do you not?"  The Queen asked, surveying her daughter.  There were still some scars on the teenager's upper arms, but other then that, she seemed fine enough.  

Usagi eyed the Queen, looking rather confused.  "You mean. . .?" She began, looking somewhat startled at whatever she had realized.

The Queen simply nodded.  "That I do, Serenity.  It is time for you to leave this hospital room and get outside, do some investigating.  You may be able to save them before it is too late. . ."  She trailed off, leaving the Outer Senshi confused.  What was the Queen talking about, and how did Usagi understand it without it being said aloud?  Could it have had something to do with incidents prior to the occurrence that they hadn't yet been told about?  It was indeed a possibility, something that they would have to question Usagi about if they wished to keep her safe from current threats.

"Will you stay?" Usagi whispered hopefully, causing the Queen to smile softly.  

"That I will my darling," she replied.  

A gasp came from Michiru's mouth, echoing around the suddenly silent room, "Majesty, if I may, where will you stay?" she asked softly.

The Queen turned to the shocked couple and chuckled, "I am sure I shall find something. . ."

"You can stay with us," Haruka muttered, "We have extra rooms. . ."

Selenity turned slightly, "I would hate to impose upon you two." She replied, kind lavender eyes sparkling in the dim light the hallway cast into the room.

Michiru shook her head, "Not at all, it would be an honour."

Selenity looked at her daughter, who nodded slightly, "It would be better," Usagi replied.  "Because I can't think of anywhere else. . .  My parents would find it strange." She giggled at the end, trying to imagine the look on her mother and father's face.

"For you Serenity," the Queen replied with a smile.  "Well, I shall let you get some more sleep.  We shall get you out of here first thing in the morning my daughter, I promise you."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Finally!  A new chapter and I won't have to write any more hospital scenes!  Yes, I was getting as sick of it as you were, but it was important that I got all this stuff out.  And, yes, I do realize that this chapter was shorter than the others, considering the amount of time it took me to write, but the next chapter will be extremely important, and probably longer, because we'll get to see where Mamoru stands on all this. . . Whoops ^_^

Reviews are welcomed! 


	5. Chapter 5

Wheee! New chapter. I've been working on this one off and on during spare time in my classes, which is the reason it's delayed, not as delayed as some of my other chapters though. Oh, and I have nothing against Hamasaki Ayumi, except for the fact that I find her voice very obnoxious and squeaky.  
  
To anyone who is wondering – I have major writers block on ALLP, and haven't been able to start the next chapter of it yet. Sorry!  
  
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Wounded Souls Never Heal – Chapter 5  
  
. . . He could hear her cries ringing through the hidden park training grounds. "Usako. . ." the nickname came out in a rasp whisper as he dashed towards her anguished cries.  
  
"Stop! You must not go there, my prince. For they shall attack you as well without a second thought." The interrupting voice spoke strongly, and he scowled at the dark haired figure that had appeared before him.  
  
"Pluto, move, please. . ." he muttered hoarsely as he made a move to go around her. Only to find himself blocked by the Staff of Time.  
  
"I cannot. . ." She said softly, "I am sorry." It came out as a sorrowed whisper, as if she too could feel the pain that rushed through the soul bond that connected the Prince and his Princess.  
  
Insults floated into the glade, quieted by the trees but otherwise easy to hear, more sobs and begging in Usagi's broken voice. Then they heard a final shriek, and rushing footsteps as the four Inner Senshi made their escape.  
  
A cry, perhaps in the far distance, echoed back to them after being distorted from bouncing tree to tree. 'Serenity. . .!'. . .  
  
*  
  
Chiba Mamoru groggily blinked his eyes open as his alarm clock signaled 6:30 am in the way it did best – by blasting whatever happened to be playing on the radio at that point in time. Heaven help the DJ who had decided to play Hamasaki Ayumi at this hour in the morning. Her high- pitched squealing voice wasn't the greatest thing to wake up to after a night of nightmarish dreams.  
  
His hand his the off button on the clock as he got up and slowly made his way to the shower, leaving pajamas in a pile on the floor and turning the tap to a desirable temperature before stepping into the small space and letting the water flow over his body. The dreams had done one good thing today, by reminding him the damned Time Guardian had finally decided to inform him that Usagi was well enough to return home. However, he had also been given another warning of what could result in the Inner Senshi found him. Not that they didn't already know where he lived. Damn Setsuna to hell, if he hadn't known her as well as he did, he'd have thought she was infatuated with him.  
  
Then there was the appearance of Queen Selenity, something that none of them had ever expected would happen. After all, it was well known among all societies of Senshi that the Moon Queen had sacrificed herself for the sake of her people. Yet somehow, miraculously, the Queen had been reincarnated, had managed to bring to life not only her soul, but her long destroyed body as well. All done without seeming to have touched the power of the Mystical Silver Crystal. Which, as he had heard from Setsuna, would have been quite impossible anyway.  
  
Perhaps the Queen had come to help her daughter to relocate the Crystal? It was a possibility to be sure. By the way Setsuna had spoken, Usagi was in no shape to be locating anything, let alone something that had been taken by her newfound, mutinous enemies.  
  
Shaking his head, Mamoru finally reached for soap. This was going to be an interesting day.  
  
*  
  
Usagi grumbled as she walked through the sliding glass, hospital doors and into the sunlight beyond. She quickly stole a glance at her mother, who was walking with her head held high and not showing any discomfort with the close proximity of the Outers bodies to theirs. Perhaps she was used to it, but it annoyed the hell out of Usagi.  
  
For the arrangements were definitely not desirable for the two Royals. The Outers had them walking in a tight cross shape, Setsuna in the lead, with Usagi and her Queen mother walking on her right, and Haruka on her left. To the right of Selenity, stood Michiru, and coming up closely on their heels was Hotaru.  
  
Usagi grumbled again, this time earning a reproving glare from her mother. "It is for your own good, Princess." The Queen replied lightly.  
  
"But. . . But!" But Usagi couldn't actually find a valid argument as to why the Senshi shouldn't walk this close. It was for her protection after all and it wasn't as if she was claustrophobic or anything of the sort. That would have been an idea though, if it weren't for her mother's presence, and the knowledge that she would simply be carried against her will if this formation didn't work. It didn't help her at all that the Outer Senshi were far more over protective than the Inners ever had been. Though it could be good at times, at this moment it simply wasn't.  
  
"It's not like they're going to ambush us or something. . . They're not stupid." Usagi muttered, hoping that whoever heard would do something about moving slightly to give her more room.  
  
"You don't know that," Haruka replied.  
  
"We must be constantly on guard, lest there be unwanted consequences." The serious tone in Michiru's voice made Usagi shudder. In a way, it was better that they did this. For Usagi's fears of being attacked again were still high, and she could still feel the lashings of their attacks on her skin. In the night the memories replayed within her mind, placing her back in the glade, back in the rain, and replacing the injuries on her body. She had woken up crying again and again, though it seemed that some evil in her subconscious had timed it, for there was never anyone in her room when she awoke. Never anyone there to quell her fears of being hurt again.  
  
Perhaps it had simply been her environment, and it would be better once she was back in her own bed. Something made her doubt it. With her Senshi constantly there at the hospital, Usagi had felt safe, knowing that they would be more than capable of fighting off anyone who dared try and hurt her again. When her mother appeared, that sense of safety had increased, her mother's gentle yet powerful aura had always calmed her in her past life. Yet now that she was going home, her fears had returned and seemed to have increased.  
  
Why then, was she complaining about the walking arrangements? Simple. One, they had just passed her favourite doughnut shop as well as the Crown Arcade. Two, when she was in the hospital bed they were never this close to her, and the third reason? Hotaru kept nearly stepping on her heels.  
  
So, as uncomfortable as she was, Usagi kept walking. In an odd way, this simple annoyance was soothing to her injured soul. It kept in tact the knowledge that there would always be people there for her, whether they were acting as friends or pride bound guardians. In her case, the Outer Senshi were both, and it comforted her to know this.  
  
*  
  
Yet somewhere else, one person was not comforted at all. She was quite the opposite. She simply sat in the same position she had been in for the weeks since Usagi's attack. Staring at the wall of her bedroom, where a long sword hung, surrounded by a golden chain of hearts. Something within was tormenting her, telling her to leave to room and obey, but something only slightly stronger, fought it back. Barely. As so, the blond haired, blue-eyed teenager remained seated on her bed, staring at the sword, as if in a trance.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Yay! I finished another chapter! Although they seem to be getting shorter, I promise that as I allow myself to reveal more information, the chapters will get much longer. Or at least a bit longer. . .  
  
Reviewers are forever loved. 


	6. Chapter 6

I sit here listening to Do As Infinity ad playing hangman and wonder why I haven't yet got a new chapter up on this fic. The main reason behind that was I forgot to e-mail it to myself so I could work on it when I was staying at my friends place a lot these past few months. Well, here's the chapter now. -_-;; Oh and I'm not saying anything about the girl who happened to have Minako's exact description +cough+, because it's important for later chapters in the story. ^^;;  
  
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Wounded Souls Never Heal – Chapter 6  
  
'Loyal to one, Sworn to none.  
Forgotten ties, Dedicated to lies.'  
  
The words were as inscribed into the wall as they were into her mind. Within her minds eye she could see them, even when she was far from them. They were her life. Her very existence. Her promise. They had been there, engraved on the wall for millennia past, first written when her ancestors had formed 'the plot'. Yes, the 'great' plot to overthrow the Kingdom of Silver. The ancients had been foolish, they hadn't held the power and technology that she now had. They thought they could do everything themselves, but it had proved quite impossible. Now she had done it, and she would be worshipped as the one who acted instead of plotted. For action was far more important and genuine.  
  
Finally, she would be able to sit upon the throne of the Moon, finally her dream of ruling the Solar System had been achieved. Perhaps her reign could even spread, if she was able to activate the stupid Mystical Silver Crystal, which refused to respond to her energy signatures. Of course, she knew that eventually she'd be able to use the powers. She just needed to discover the right way to manipulate her energy so that if would be possible. Easier said than done.  
  
The Moon Queens had always made using the power look easy, focus energy, hold up the crystal, make it glow and finally, destroy whatever was threatening the people you fought to protect. Who would've known that it would actually be this difficult to unleash the power of the Crystal? Perhaps it was the lack of information on the subject. After all, it seemed to be something that the Royal Family kept to themselves and passed down, daughter to daughter. There weren't any books on the subject, nor were there any internet sites with information that could be trusted, even on the Trans-Universal Database. It was clear that this was very sacred information. Then again, she should have known that from the beginning.  
  
She snorted and brushed a long, blood red braid from in front of her eyes, before picking up the golden locket that housed the sparkling crystal. At least she had loyal minions, as brainwashed as they might be. Except for that blonde. . . She was far too loyal to her Princess to be of any use.  
  
The Princess, she would be another obstacle. After all, it would be hard to take over the throne when the real Queen was actually alive and well, whether she was scared to death or not.  
  
A sigh escaped her lips, oh for a day in the life of the Lady Akano Hoshi.  
  
*  
  
"Serenity, your table manners are atrocious."  
  
'Can't talk back, don't talk back, oh please don't talk back,' Usagi thought to herself as she put her chopsticks down across her plate of half eaten rice and sealed her lips tightly. So what if she didn't have the manners she used to have? It wasn't as if she was actually required attend regal dinners and act like a Princess anymore. After all, she was Tsukino Usagi, not Princess Serenity, even though her mother seemed to wish to call her that. She supposed she should be happy, perhaps even proud, but the Queen was pushing her to her limits. Even someone as cheerful as her could explode at times, or in most cases, break down and cry. Neither of which she would allow herself to do now. Perhaps tonight when she got into bed – but no, she had to prove herself to be stronger then that. She would need it for the fight she knew was ahead.  
  
Oh yes, that fight. She knew that sooner or later she would once again have to face off against her Senshi, her best friends. She also knew somewhere that they hadn't meant what they did, and that eventually they would come back to her. That eventually they would act normally again, whether it happened soon, or at the budding of Crystal Tokyo. She knew that her Senshi would return. They had to, for Usagi didn't know if she could bear a different future then the one she knew, the one she had visited. Setsuna said that the future was set in glass, not stone, but Usagi knew that if she nurtured that glass well enough, it wouldn't break. She understood that if that glass was well taken care of, her future wouldn't shatter, and she would live to be the Queen of Crystal Tokyo in the 30th Century.  
  
"Princess," Setsuna murmured, waving a hand in front of Usagi's face in an attempt to rid the girl of the glazed over look that had filled her eyes.  
  
"Koneko-chan, snap out of it," Haruka muttered, sounding half amused and half worried. It wasn't often that Usagi zonked out, and they could never be quite sure of what had happened on the rare occasion that she did. After all, she could have been possessed in some short time when they hadn't been looking.  
  
"Y-yes? Sorry," Usagi whispered, staring down at her lap, her cheeks stained a light pink from embarrassment. She looked back up to see the other five occupants of the table looking at her worriedly.  
  
"You were halfway to the Moon," Michiru replied calmly, her blue orbs gazing thoughtfully into Usagi's paler ones. The scrutiny of the multiplied gazes of her Outer Senshi and her mother caused Usagi to squirm slightly.  
  
"I didn't mean to. . ." The blonde princess responded, shaking her head quickly. It was true, anything Usagi did now seemed to be accidental, whether it pleased her Senshi or caused them to tut. The Queen was the worst though, then again, she was allowed, Usagi supposed. She was after all, her mother. Sometimes however, Usagi wondered if her mother realized that she was dumping so much on the still emotionally unstable girl. Selenity expected much more of Usagi then the girl thought was even possible for her to accomplish. Hadn't it been only a few months ago that she was nearly failing most of her classes?  
  
It hadn't mattered then, what with her supportive friends beside her. Not that the Outers weren't supportive, they just had their own way of showing everything. Usagi could swear that hours spent studying and training had increased by at least triple since the Outers had declared themselves her guardians, and had done the Inners the 'favour' of removing them from their positions. Her life had changed entirely, and sometimes Usagi wasn't sure whether or not it was for the better, or if she would like the result in the long run.  
  
"Bed would be good," Haruka was saying when Usagi brought her attentions back to the conversation that was still going on around her. They had probably given up talking to her when she had begun to delve back into her thoughts, but it had become a bad habit. Even with the extra studying, Usagi's grades had begun to slip, dropping down even further than they had been before. But who could blame her? She had far too much on her mind to concentrate on school, though Selenity seemed to have forgotten that momentarily when she came home with a mathematics test, only to display a sorry grade of 33.5%.  
  
It had been bad enough with one strict mother when she had simply been trying to save the world as Sailor Moon. Two strict mothers and running for your life from your four ex-best friends, made everything two times worse. Oh for the days before she had become the Warrior of the Moon. Life had been so much simpler, with only Shingo and school to deal with. Yes, if only she could go back to that fateful moment when she had first transformed into Sailor Moon. If only she could have stopped that from happening, then she wouldn't be in this situation now.  
  
She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and looked up suddenly to see Setsuna standing there. Looking around, she noticed that the others had already exited the room, having probably left to go to bed, judging by the time.  
  
"Come, I'll take you home," Setsuna murmured, scarlet eyes looking towards the door as she extended a hand to Usagi, which the blonde graciously took.  
  
"I-I'm sorry if I disappoint you. . . I know I'm not what everyone wants me to be, but I'm trying Setsuna-san, honest. . ." she trailed off and shook her head. "It's just so hard. . ."  
  
Setsuna frowned and brought the girl into a hug, an act of compassion that she didn't show often, "We know you're trying hard, Usagi-chan." She murmured reassuringly, rubbing the girl's back in slow circles as she felt tears seep through her blouse. "You aren't disappointing anyone."  
  
Usagi looked up in slight disbelief, her eyes glistening with fresh tears, "I don't act like a proper Princess. I mean, I know I shouldn't care, but I just feel so guilty sometimes. Mother is trying so hard to teach me and to try and bring back my memories of proper court behaviour but. . ." she trailed off as Setsuna opened her mouth to speak.  
  
"The Queen is in perfect understanding of the reasons you're putting up resistance to her trying to unlock those various memories. She's willing to re-educate you in those things that will have painful memories in them, but you'll have to keep working hard. In many cases, the ability to be royal is something that you must be raised in, and though you were a Princess in your past life, you may find yourself unable to learn everything at a speed that you would like, in this one." The Time Guardian said, in a tone that stated she'd have no arguments with these facts. "Now, you need sleep. You're exhausted Princess."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Hah! Finished it, finally! +hangs self+  
  
I'm so bad. . . I'll try and get the next chapter up quicker. -_-;; 


End file.
